Adjustable boot holder



March 28, 1961 F. J. SITZMAN ADJUSTABLE BOOT HOLDER Filed Nov. 15, 1959 INVENTOR. *7/20 .7: s/ rz/rm/z/ ADJUSTABLE BOOT HOLDER Ferd J. Sitzman, RR. 1, Botkins, Ohio Filed Nov. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 852,888 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-'-34) This application relates to holders for articles such as boots and is particularly concerned with a holder for supporting boots in an inverted position.

Boots, of the nature worn by workmen and sportsmen and the like have a long flexible nlbber-like portion extending upwardly from the foot and unless care is exercised in storing the boots the uppermost portion referred to tends to become kinked and creased and will crack and deteriorate from being stored in such a manner. Also, boots of this nature are worn to protect the user from water or mud and will of course become quite wet in use. Accordingly, when the boots are stored it is necessary for them to be stored in such a manner that they will dry out completely and remain dry and thus greatly enhancing the life of the boot.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a particular object of the present invention to provide a structure adapted for holding boots and the like so that they can be stored for long lengths of time without the boots deteriorating and with the boots being kept under the best possible conditions.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a boot holder of the nature referred to in which the tops of the boots are not kinked or creased or folded in any manner whatsoever.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a boot holder so constructed and arranged that the boots will remain dry and there will be free circulation of air over and through the boots so that they do not tend to mildew or otherwise deteriorate.

it is also an object of this invention to provide a boot holder of the nature referred to above which is adjustable so it can accommodate boots of different sizes.

A still further object of thisinvention is the provision of an adjustable boot holder of the nature referred to which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The objects referred to above as well as still other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent. upon reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a general arrangement of one boot holder according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan View looking down on top of a portion of the boot holder showing one boot in position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the details in connection with one of the adjustable clamp elements forming a part of the boot holder of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing a boot holder according to my invention arranged for supporting a boot of only a single size;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified construction in which the main member of the boot holder is formed of metal and the adjustable clamps pertaining thereto are of somewhat modified structure of what is shown in 'Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a atent 1&6

modified clamp arrangement in which a coiled spring extends between and is connected with the clamps;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing an adjustable clamp arrangement for the boot holder of the present invention in which the adjustable clamp member is an inflatable tube;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a manner in which the adjustable clamp members could be in the form of adjustable rods; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a still further modified arrangement of my invention.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail the arrangement in Figure 1 shows a panel 10 which may be of wood or metal or any other suitable structural material and which panel 10 is provided with a pair of cut-outs 12 and 14 for'receiving the foot end of boots 16 and 18 respectively. The tops 20 and 22 of the boots hang downwardly from the bottoms and thus are prevented from becoming kinked or creased or folded and the tops also hang open so that air is free to circulate over and within the boots.

According to the present invention the cut-outs 12 and 14, and which in general form the outline of the foot end of the boot, are provided with adjustable clamp mem here 24- arranged thereabout in spaced relation as will best be seen in Figure 2. These adjustable clamp members are in the form of U-shaped elements 26 having slots 28 in the top and bottom legs thereof and through which slots there extend the screws 30 having thereon the wing nuts 32. The member 10 is provided with apertures for receiving the screws 30 and, accordingly, by loosening the wing nuts 32 the adjustable support members can be moved inwardly and outwardly so as to adapt the effective periphery of the cut-outs 12 and 14 to the configuration of any given boot within predetermined size limits.

It has been mentioned that the panel 10 might be formed of wood, metal or any other suitable material and when it is formed of metal it might take the form of a thin sheet as indicated at 34 in Figure 5. This thin sheet can preferably have an edge thereof turned downwardly as of 36 to form the outline of the opening for receiving the foot end of the boot. The adjustable support members surrounding the opening can then take the form of the clips 38 in Figure 5 which-have their rear ends turned up at 40 and their inner ends turned up and rounded as at 42. A screw or stud 44 attached to the other side of member 34 extends through a slot 46 in the clip and a wing nut 48 could be utilized for clamping the member in place against the bottom edge of the flange 36.

In Figure 6 the adjustable means that engages the periphery of the boot adjacent the sole thereof, or imniediately above the greatest lateral dimension of the foot 'end of the boot, is in the form of a plurality of angle clips 50 having slots 52 through which. the studs 54 extend so that wing nuts 56 can clamp the angle clips in place. In the Figure 6 arrangement a flexible element suchas the coil spring 58 is attached to the inner ends of the clips and forms the means that directly engages the foot of the boot. This provides for substantially continuous support about the entire periphery of the boot and which Would have the advantage of avoiding forming an indentation in the boot as might occur if the adjustable members 24 in Figures 1 and 2 modification were adjusted inwardly too tightly against the boot.

Figure 7 shows still another arrangement wherein an inflatable tube of rubber like material or the like 60 is mounted about the inside of the cut-out 62 in the support member 64 with the tube being retained in place by the support elements 66 attached to the member 64 by screws 68. Means is provided at 70 for introducing air into the tube so that it can be expanded into gripping relation with Patented Mar. 28, lad} the periphery of the foot of the boot to be supported. This arrangement provides even more uniform and uninterrupted support about the periphery of the boot than the Figure '6 structure.

Figure 8 shows still another arrangement wherein the main support member 72 is provided with a plurality of holes 74 extending substantially radially outwardly from the cut-out portion 76. Rods 78 extend into the holes and are thus radially adjustable toward and away from the foot of the boot to be supported. The screws 80 are provided for locking the rods in their adjusted positions. The Figure 8 arrangement has the advantage of being simple and economical to construct and quite simple to adjust to accommodate it to different boot sizes.

In the arrangement of Figure 4 shows how the support member could be cut-out or, in the case of metal, formed to a given size when the boot size is exactly known. The Figure 4 arrangement would avoid the necessity of adjustments that would be usable for only a single boot size.

In all cases it will be noted that the boot is so supported that the top hangs straight and thus the interior of the boot as well asthe outside remains dry and the leg portion of the boot remains free of cracks and creases and the like and thusthe life of the boot is substantially prolonged.

Figure 9 shows a modified arrangement in which the holder 90 is molded of a material such as hard rubber or the like. The holder may be solid or it may be recessed and ribbed in order to provide suflicient strength without excessive weight. In this arrangement a plurality of bolts or studs 92 are embedded in the material from which the holder is molded and are advantageously placed as inserts at the time of making the molding;

These studs or bolts preferably have head portions that are transversely drilled for receiving a wire 94 which not only holds the bolts or studs in place, but also serves to reinforce the body molding. The adjustable support clips 96 in Figure 9 are flat elements with the ends bent down to provide an arcuate portion to engage the boot while the members are provided with slots 98 for receiving the studs or bolts 92. Wing nuts 100 serve to clamp the adjustable members in place.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and, accordingly, it, is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a holder for boots or the like; a support member, notches formed in the support member from the edge generally the shape of the foot of a boot, clip elements mounted on said member in spaced relation about the peripheries of said notches, said clip elements being adjustable inwardly and outwardly of said notches for supporting engagement with the foot ends of boots of different sizes, and means carried by said support member for clamping said clips in adjusted positions thereon.

2. In a holder for boots or the like; a support member, notches formed in the support member from the edge generally the shape of the foot of a boot, clip elements mounted along the peripheries of said notches for adjustment inwardly and outwardly of the notches, and a resilient member interconnecting the inner ends of said clip elements forming an adjustable means to engage the foot ends of boots of difierent sizes.

3. In a holder for boots or the like; a support member, notches formed in the support member from the edge generally the shape of the foot of a boot, rod elements extending radially into said notches from spaced points thereabout and means adjustably clamping said rod elements to said support. I

4. In a holder for boots or the like; a support member, notches formed in the support member from the edge generally the shape of the foot of a boot, rod elements extending radially into said notches from spaced points thereabout, holes in the support receiving said rods, and clamp screws in the support to clamp the rods in adjusted positions in said holes.

5. In an adjustable holder for boots or the like; a molded support member, such support member having notches extending inwardly from the edge generally the shape of the foot of a boot, adjustable clips arranged in spaced relation about the peripheries of said notches for supporting engagement with the side of a foot of a boot, studs or bolts embedded in the support member and extending through slots in said clips, and nuts on the studs or bolts for adjustably clamping said clips to the support member.

6. In an adjustable holder for boots or the like; a molded support member, such support member having notches extending inwardly from the edge generally the shape of the foot of a boot, adjustable clips arranged in spaced relation about the peripheries of said notches for supporting engagement with the side of a foot of a boot, studs or bolts for adjustably clamping said clips to the support member, the ends of the studs or bolts embedded in the support member being apertured, and there being a wire in the support member extending through said apertures whereby the wires simultaneously reinforcethe support member and said studs or bolts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 599,744 Steinmeyer Mar. 1, 1898 927,277 Spikes Oct. 11, 1910 1,209,560 Cosner Dec. 19 1916 1,720,893 Glidden July 16, 1929 1,769,344 Hofimire July 1, 1930 2,028,694 Spinks Ian. 21, 1936 2,062,685 Tinnerman Dec. 1, 1936 2,243,947 Epstein June 3, 1941 2,396,877 Peterson Mar. 19, 1946 2,541,349 Gamache Feb. 13, 1951 

